Testimonials

Tacoma Waldorf has just what my family was looking for. This is a place where the individual spirit of my child is recognized and valued. Art, music and movement are incorporated into virtually every area of the rich curriculum, creating a lively environment for learning. I am excited to have my children in a school that values art, relationships, creative thinking and the natural world. Here children are guided on their own path toward self-knowledge and clear thinking. Our whole family enjoys a wonderful sense of community at this school.

Waldorf education is simply beautiful and exemplifies the true definition of “education”. I love that my son wants to go to school every day, that he is learning and loving it, that the teachers are amazing at their job, and that our family is a part of a community that supports and embraces each other. I am grateful that we found Tacoma Waldorf School and look forward to the relationship we will have as my son moves up through the grades and on into his life.

The Tacoma Waldorf School has provided my son a safe and nurturing atmosphere to grow and learn. With all that society exposes to our children, I feel comforted knowing he is well cared for during the day. Compassion and social skills are as much a part of the curriculum as is math, science, music and art. Lessons that will truly last a lifetime. I watch the light of confidence shine in the eyes of our children as they experience the joy of learning about themselves and the world we live in. It fills my heart to know that my own children will receive the gifts of a nurturing Waldorf education. Waldorf Education aspires to meet each child for their unique qualities and learning styles. It is an education that honors a respect for humanity and the natural world in which we live. It is a blessing that our school is such a warm and caring community, a place where I feel honored to belong!

The staff and philosophy of this school are beyond expectations!! This school, the community and staff, has crept its way into all aspects of our life. The reason we chose Waldorf education for our daughter is because I wanted to see a happy healthy whole person emerge within my child and that is exactly what we have gotten. Besides the amazing faculty, the parents are among the hardest working, committed people I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. We might not fit exactly what a “Waldorf family” looks like, but we have been embraced in the community and I have made many life long loving connections with other families. If this school is something you don’t exactly understand, it is worth doing some research to find out how your child could benefit.

We’re so blessed to have found TWS! We love the philosophy of the school and have faith in the Waldorf methods which some may find unconventional. We are in it for the long haul, and hope to help the school continue to grow through grade 8. Small schools like TWS do require parental involvement and support, but we like being involved in the school and our children’s education. As with any school, there are always improvements to be made, but as a community we continue to work together to provide a wonderful educational environment for our children.

Tacoma Waldorf School creates a space which embraces a child in their growth and development. Our daughter has always been celebrated for who she is yet encouraged to challenge her awakening development in a gentle and firmly guided manner by the faculty. The school goes beyond providing academic lessons, it is also a community in which a child and their family can grow and experience the true meaning of living in a “village”. It is a place where our family has felt embraced and challenged to grow and where we feel assured that our daughter will thrive and be able to move into the adult world with a strong foundation and understanding of herself and community, a love of learning and the ability to meet challenges with grace.

The foundation for the rest of a child’s education begins in early years. We chose to send our son to the Tacoma Waldorf School because we want our child to have a solid foundation to stand on as things begin to change in and around him. This foundation should let his heart sing, make his eye’s smile with curiosity, have him long for more knowledge, put trust in others, and allow him to celebrate the world around him.

We have seen such great things from our son since he has been at Waldorf. There have been so many great memories just from our one year at the school. We have noticed our son seems so much more grounded and confident. The best thing I find about Tacoma Waldorf is the feeling of community between students, parents and teachers. I have never felt pressured to do more than I can to help but I always feel like I want to do more. My husband and I are watching our son get an education we wished we had had.

Tacoma Waldorf School is a community for our family. Both of my children are thriving and love school. Each cries if they have to miss a school day from being sick…who can ask for anything more? The academics of the grades program is brought in a multi-modal way to reach the many learning styles of the children in the classes. Don’t let all the pretty colors on the walls fool you into believing this is anything but a fully functioning learning environment which teaches children a lot while keeping the children engaged and happy to be there. I highly recommend to families looking for a healthy learning environment to come and check it out and speak with our teachers about all the exciting things Tacoma Waldorf has to offer. It does take commitment from families of time, talent, and treasure…but it is worth it.

Tacoma Waldorf School is the right place for your children if you are looking for a nurturing and natural environment where they can play, learn and grow! Green and eco-conscious practices and a superb arts focus adds to this schools charm.

We have found there to be an excellent academic element in the grades, and the teachers are highly qualified. I find the staff to be welcoming to new families and very appreciative of the volunteering we have done. This is a small non profit school and as such they rely on everyone’s help in making this school the wonderful gem it is. The arts, academics and a focus on physical activity and play make this school a well rounded place for children. Children flourish in learning (and much of what is taught is the same as the public schools just taught more creatively and interactively) without false pressure to conform.

Friends and strangers sometimes ask my husband and I what we have done to teach our kids to be respectful of others and things and why they are so “well-behaved”. We have to attribute a lot of it to the caring and nurturing teachers at TWS. All the children are taught respect for their peers and adults, as well as all things in nature. The teachers observe and know so much about each individual child, and what aspects might be brought out in them, or worked on to shape them for their future as contributing and successful adults. TWS is teaching my children to love learning, how to navigate and work with all kinds of people, and the teachers give them a wonderful sense of security that will follow them into adulthood.

The education my daughter has received has helped her to develop into an amazing, well-rounded child. She is respectful, compassionate and self-confident. She has transitioned from Tacoma Waldorf School to a public middle school with confidence and ease. She has a sense of pride in her work that her teachers have noticed, and they have commented on her “outside the box” thinking.

I am so glad we learned about this gem of a school! I began attending the parent-tot classes with my daughter when she was two. She is now in the grades and we love TWS. Waldorf education’s rich curriculum is presented at developmentally appropriate times and in ways that engage the children on many levels. Having the arts, movement and an appreciation for nature integrated deeply in the subject matter brings a deeper understanding and encourages a love for learning. Our family highly recommends TWS!

After we had done the research on all of the local schools and we visited at least a dozen of the preschools in Tacoma and surrounding area, we decided on Tacoma Waldorf for several reasons. One was the focus on each individual child as a mental, physical and spiritual being; that the classrooms were filled with light, natural toys and the smell of freshly baked bread or homemade soup; that the teachers were so clearly invested in each child and how the Waldorf beliefs about child development allow children in the kindergartens to experience childhood as the fun, happy and magical time it should be. Children spend considerable time outside exploring the natural world and singing songs that reflect the task at hand. Academics come in the 1st grade and beyond and the older children are incredibly well rounded and take their work seriously.